News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-12-15
How to Prevent and Restrict
DIphtheYia.

UiPntIlotla.
In view of the fact that diphtheria
is epidemic in several places in the
State, the State Board of health has
issued a circular under the caption of
the prevention and Restriction of
Diphtheria." The circular is as fol-
lows:
Diphtheria is contagious and in
fictitious disease attacking persons Of
all ages, but affecting children much
more frequently than it does adults.
1t may be communicated from the
sick to the we'll by means of persons,
cups, or any other articles which
pass from mouth to mouth, or through
the medium of the air, or it may
spread by means OF clothing. So gen.
orally is diphtheria regarded as due to
sanitary conditions, that by common
consent it is classed among the "ilthy
diseases" and when we find it aris-
ing, apparently independent of sourc-
es of infection, spontaneously, as it
would seem, we may be pretty sure
that something is wrong in the health
conditions of the home where it is
found.
PREVENTION.
When child or young person has
sore throat, and with it considerable
fever, and especially if the breath has
bad odor, he should Immediately be
kept separate from all other persons,
except necessary attendants, and I'M
til it is ascertained whether or not he
has diphtheria. Keep away from the
sources of the contagion. Do not go
where the disease is if you can help it,
and above all do not let your children
60 where it is. If you do visit a case,
battle yourself, and change and disin-
feet your clothing before you GO where
there is a child. From the dwelling
and vicinity Danish all sources of
filth, whether of the ground, the water
or the air. The ground under and
around the house, if not naturally dry,
should be thoroughly drained.
All influences which cause sore
threats probably tend to promote the
taking and spreading of this disease.
Hence avoid exposure to wind and to
breathing cold dry air. Also avoid
any food or drink which tend to make
the throat raw or tender. Do not
wear or handle clothing worn by a
person during sickness or GONZALES
ence from diphtheria. Beware of any
person who has sore throat. Do
not kiss or take the breath of such a
person. Do not drink from the same
cup or put anything Of his TO the
mouth. Be sure that the drinking
water and the milk are pure.
RESTRICTION.
As soon as it is found that per-
son has diphtheria, he should be i'm
mediotely separated from tae rest of
the family and put into a sunny and
well ventilated room, preferably on
the upper floor. Before moving the
patient into the room, all needless ar
ticles, such as carpets, contents of
wardrobes, ETC., which would catch
infection, should be removed. No
other person besides the nurse or nee
essary attendants and the physician
should be permitted in the room, and
they should take special precautions
not to carry the infection. Their
communication with the rest of the
family should be as restricted as pos
sible. Plain notice should be placed
upon the house in which there is q
person sick with diphtheria.
Neither the nurse or any other per-
son should eat or drink in the sick
room, or anything which has been
there. Food which the patient has
left should be burned. Cats and dogs
should oe kept from the house, for
their fur can easily carry the infection.
should not be used BY others, on
washed with the other dishes, and
should be washed in boiling hot water.
The utmost care must be taken that
the discharges from the mouth, throat
and nose do not soil the room or its
furnishings. These discharges should
be received on pieces of cloth and
then burned. If this cannot be done
they should be thoroughly disinfected
with disinfectant No. 5, 6 Or 2. The
The discharges from the kidneys and
bowels should be literally treated with
the same disinfectant, and not poured
into the privy vault, but buried if pos.
sible 200 feet or more from dwelling
house or water supply. The bed and
body clothing should not be mixed
with the family wash, but should be
put into boiling hot disinfectant solu-
ton No. 4 or 5. No person from a
house where there is diphtheria should
go into public assemblies, such as
schools, churches or concerts. Per-
sons who have had diphtheria should
not mingle with the public for some
time after the last trace of the disease
has left the throat and nose, and then
not until they and all their clothing
have been thoroughly washed and dis
infected. In case of death the body
should be inclosed in a sheet thor
Oughly wet in disinfectants No. or
5, and put into a tight coffin, which
should not afterward be opened. The
funeral should be strictly private, and
in no case should children be permit
ted to be present. After recovery or
death disinfect the room with disinfec-
tant No. l.
DISINFECTANTS.
No. 1. Sulphur fumigation. To use
this effectually two pounds of sulphur
should be burned in room ten feet
square. Every opening in the room
must be closed, except the door by
which the disinfector Is to escape.
The sulphur is to be burned in an iron
kettle or other vessel set in tub con-
tanning little water to guard against
fire. A little alcohol or kerosene must
be poured upon the sulphur by which